The sound of papers rustling whispered in the air for several minutes now, and Riley just sat and stared at the people turning them.
There were several people lined up in front of him. They were seated at the table, and all of them had different outfits that hid their faces. They glanced at him now and then as they read, but Riley paid them no mind.
He simply sat there, back perfectly straight, hands resting in his lap like a statue. And with the way the sunlight streamed through the windows, catching the unnatural whiteness of his hair and skin, he actually looked like a statue too.
Finally, after several more minutes, the man in the center lowered his papers. He cleared his throat before offering Riley a polite, glowing smile—literally.
Unlike the others, he wore no mask. But his entire body, from head to toe, was pure gold, gleaming in the sunlight. His expression was warm, his voice smooth and oddly androgynous. It was impossible to tell if he was a man or a woman.
The only reason Riley knew was because he had met him before.
"Good afternoon, Riley. It's been a while, hasn't it?" the golden man said.
"It has been approximately twelve weeks since we last met, Mr. Bulwark."
[Bulwark | Hero Rank: S | Powers: Amortal. Can manipulate and create solid, nearly indestructible light constructs. Rumored to have lived since Mesopotamian times, with ancient texts and records supporting his existence.]
Bulwark's smile didn't fade. "It has, hasn't it? I have to say, I was quite surprised to hear about you enrolling here. To think you've awakened as a Super—it's a welcome surprise."
"Thank you, Mr. Bulwark." Riley nodded.
"Are you surprised to see me here?"
"No."
Bulwark chuckled at Riley's immediate response, clearly amused. He was used to it. "Well, I'm currently acting as this Academy's headmaster—the only one with direct contact with Megawoman. Pretty cool, right?"
"You told my father the last time Megawoman spoke to you was five years ago, Mr. Bulwark."
Bulwark cleared his throat. "Let's move on with the interview, then." He smoothly ignored the remark, instead gesturing toward the others at the table.
[Voltdevil | Hero Rank: C | Powers: Electrokinetic Reflexes. Can generate and absorb electricity to enhance speed, reaction time, and strength in short bursts. Overuse causes overheating. A former vigilante.]
[Interesting Intestines | Hero Rank: C | Powers: Unbreakable Stomach. Can ingest and process toxins, acids, and even explosives, then release energy bursts. Completely immune to poisoning. A stuntman-turned-hero after surviving an industrial accident involving volatile chemicals.]
[Blinkshot | Hero Rank: B |Powers: Short-Range Teleportation. Excellent marksman. Can teleport up to 10 meters within his line of sight. Precise, but limited by vision. A former military sniper who saved hostages using his ability before transitioning into hero work.]
[Spectacular Mustache Man | Hero Rank: A | Powers: Sentient Mustache. Can extend, harden, and manipulate his mustache with incredible precision, using it as extra limbs, weapons, or armor. Rumored that his mustache has a mind of its own. A former circus performer who became a hero after saving an audience from a collapsing tent using only his mustache.]
"And now that introductions are out of the way, it's time for them to get to know you." Bulwark slid the questionnaire aside, leaning back slightly. "Since I already know about you, I'll let them ask the questions. But first—would you like to introduce yourself?"
"Okay, Mr. Bulwark." Riley nodded as he finally moved from his chair and stood up. "My name is Riley Ross."
[Riley Ross | Hero Rank: N/A Powers: Master Martial Artist. Telekinetic? Cares for his sister very much.]
"That's… it?" Voltdevil asked, adjusting the oversized goggles that extended from his face. He clasped his hands together, leaning forward on the table. "We… didn't really need to know the last part, but it's nice to know."
"You can sit back down, son," Blinkshot gestured, straightening his own posture.
Riley hesitated for a moment, unsure if Blinkshot was addressing him. But when he saw Bulwark nod, he took his seat again.
Blinkshot glanced at the questionnaire in front of him. "It says here that you're a master martial artist… Did you awaken to that power, or was it something you trained for?"
"I was trained by my father, sir Blinkshot," Riley answered without hesitation.
"Tell me more, son."
"My father began training me in combat when I was three years old—starting with Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, Boxing, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I earned my black belt in the first three by the time I was five, and I received my purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu when I turned eight, sir Blinkshot."
A heavy silence settled over the table. The interviewers exchanged glances, processing what they had just heard. The only one unfazed was Bulwark, who continued smiling as he observed their reactions.
After a moment, he cleared his throat loudly, snapping them out of their thoughts. "May I add that Riley Ross is also a weapons master?" He turned to the others with a knowing grin. "And a grandmaster with the knife."
Slowly, all heads turned toward Bulwark. Only Interesting Intestines spoke up.
"And how exactly do you know this little monster?" he asked, his large stomach pressing against the table as he leaned forward.
"That's a secret," Bulwark replied smoothly. "And I'm not the one being interviewed, Interesting Intestines." He simply gestured toward Riley with his palm.
Interesting Intestines narrowed his eyes, the movement crumpling the mask covering half his face. After a beat, he turned back to Riley. "Are you sure your mastery of fighting isn't a superpower?"
"Yes, Mr. Interesting Intestines," Riley nodded. "Sister is better than me at boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Krav Maga. She is very good. Have you seen her?"
Voltdevil raised his hand slightly. "Hannah Ross?"
"Yes."
"She… spoke a lot about you too," Voltdevil said, nodding. "The two of you seem very close. May I ask a rather sensitive question?"
"Nothing is sensitive to me, Mr. Voltdevil."
Voltdevil hesitated before continuing. "Do you think you admire your sister because she's very protective of you? I mean… you're on the spectrum, correct?"
"Correct," Riley confirmed without hesitation. "As to why I like Sister, Mr. Voltdevil—I do not know how to answer that."
"Huh…" Voltdevil narrowed his eyes slightly. "I also heard about the incident during the demonstration. You seem to have a very strong telekinetic ability, Mr. Riley, so I'd like to—"
Before he could finish, Blinkshot suddenly leaned forward and cut him off.
"If someone held your sister hostage," Blinkshot asked, his tone sharpening, "and their demand was for you to do something terrible—how far would you be willing to go to keep her safe, son?"